– Fanny to Lily
On the quarterdeck of the
How he loved those glowing eyes, Heath reflected. How he wanted to kiss that luscious mouth…
Despite his impatience to have his bride all to himself, however, he would have to wait until the wedding guests departed the ship. At the moment they showed no desire to leave. They were too busy drinking champagne and offering congratulatory toasts and sharing entertaining tales about the newlyweds.
Laughter abounded, in part because the small guest list fostered an intimacy to the gathering. The marriage ceremony had been a simple affair in comparison to Drew’s lavish society wedding a mere few days earlier. And the celebrations afterward-a luncheon served on deck by Heath’s capable staff-were quite modest, nothing like the enormous wedding breakfast and ball at Danvers Hall following Marcus’s wedding, which had been held in the village church at Chiswick two months ago.
But Lily deemed the arrangements perfect. The nuptials had been performed by the vicar from Chiswick, the same clergyman who had married Marcus and Arabella. And viewing the myriad ships anchored on the Thames and docked at the quay only increased Lily’s anticipation of their wedding journey, which was to begin next week.
Much to Heath’s amusement, his new wife had made a point of drinking a mere half glass of champagne, claiming that she wanted no repetition of her shameless behavior in the stable loft the first time they’d kissed. Lily was determined to remain circumspect, despite the scandalous vocation of several of the guests.
Fleur and Chantel had eagerly attended, along with Fanny and Basil. The elder courtesans had spent much of the past hour crowing over their success in uniting the bridal couple, while Lady Freemantle had taken credit for bringing them together in the first place.
Her ladyship looked smugly delighted now as she exclaimed in her booming voice, “You know all I ever wanted was your happiness, dearest Lily.”
“I know, Winifred,” Lily replied, fondly embracing her friend. “Which is why I forgive your meddlesome attempts at matchmaking.”
“Humph,” Winifred said archly. “I make no apologies for my meddling, young lady. If not for my encouraging Lord Claybourne to follow you to Hampshire-where I falsely believed you to be hiding, I might add-you would likely not be married now. You were so adamantly set against imprisoning yourself in matrimony, he was forced to take drastic steps to pursue you.”
“I admit,” Lily said, laughing, “that I was greatly mistaken about matrimony being a prison.”
She glanced beyond her friend, searching for Heath. When she located him a few yards away, the smile she sent him was pure sunshine, golden with warmth.
Heath found himself gazing back at her, spellbound. Her impact was like a blow to the chest, straight to his heart. And as their gazes touched, a wave of tenderness washed over him so strong it made his knees weak.
Just then Marcus and Drew joined him.
“So now you are one of us,” Marcus drawled in an amused voice as he clapped Heath on the back. “I seem to recall not three months ago you adamantly protesting that the marriage noose was too restrictive to your freedom.”
Heath chuckled. “You were right, old friend. It only took meeting the right woman.”
“We all three learned that lesson,” Drew added with wry humor yet no trace of his former cynicism. “Although it
When the three noblemen turned to admire the beautiful Loring sisters, Heath knew his friends’ feelings for their respective ladies were very similar to his own for Lily.
“Yet I had to work for
“Then it was extremely fortunate,” Lady Eleanor interrupted as she moved to her brother’s side, “that you didn’t give up, Heath. You and Lily are perfect for each other.”
Grinning, Heath gave Eleanor a bow of acknowledgment. “And I have you to thank for helping Lily to come to her senses by pretending a betrothal to me.”
Marcus’s look was teasing as well as he put a brotherly arm around Eleanor’s shoulder. “What was that, Nell? Your third betrothal?”
She made a humorous face. “I suppose so, even though this engagement was a total fabrication and only lasted a few hours.”
Marcus turned to Heath. “I trust you used discretion in having that false announcement printed?”
“I did. The publisher and his printer are sworn to secrecy, with their palms well greased.”
“Good,” Marcus replied. “If word got out about yet another broken betrothal of Eleanor’s, it would only cement her reputation as a jilt and make it even harder for her to wed. And unlike Lily, she doesn’t wish to remain a spinster for the rest of her life. Isn’t that so, minx?”
Eleanor nodded cheerfully. “Yes, dearest brother. I would very much like to find true love as you and Heath and Drew have done. I have not given up hope. Miss Irwin’s book, which reportedly advises young ladies on how to catch a husband, is to be published soon. Perhaps it will help me to find my ideal mate.”
Lady Freemantle overheard her comment and called over to her. “If you need any assistance, Lady Eleanor, I am just the person you need.”
“Thank you, my lady,” Eleanor said with a smile. “I will keep your kind offer in mind.”
Fanny joined their conversation then. “Lady Eleanor, I would be pleased to let you read my book in advance. If you find my advice beneficial, you might suggest its purchase to your genteel friends.”
“I would be delighted to read and promote it, Miss Irwin.”
“Thank you. I am hoping the proceeds will be profitable enough to allow me to become an authoress full time.”
When Fanny glanced at Basil, whose face was still discolored from his beatings, the tender look they shared only confirmed Lily’s suspicion that they wanted a future together. Heath had promised Lily he would do his part to help their love affair progress, beginning with finding a more profitable post for Basil than law clerk. Thus far he had three possible positions in mind.
And Basil already looked the part of a nobleman’s secretary. The elderly courtesans had taken him in hand, intent on turning him into a fashionable gentleman. Under their direction, Basil had shed his clerkish aura along with his homely attire. Now dressed in an expertly tailored frock coat and pantaloons and shiny Hessian boots, he carried himself with far more confidence, more manliness, even, as if he planned to be the equal of a beautiful Cyprian like Fanny.
The crowd shifted a little just then so that Tess Blanchard could move closer to Heath. “I wish to thank
“Oh?” Winifred broke in. “But his lordship already has a magnificent house-several of them, in fact.”
Lily replied for Tess. “We plan to start a home for needy women, Winifred. A place where desperate girls can find refuge and learn various skills that will allow them to seek respectable employment.”
“How admirable,” Winifred exclaimed, eyeing Heath in approval.
“I cannot take the credit,” he said, holding out his hand to Lily. “My lovely bride came up with the idea.”
Taking his hand, Lily moved to stand beside him. “But you are making it a reality. It is extraordinary, how willing you are to champion my cause.”
When the conversation moved on, Heath bent to murmur in Lily’s ear so that only she could hear. “That is what love does to a man, wife of mine. Makes him willing to slay dragons for his lady.”
Lily’s eyes danced as she gazed up at him. “Are you offering to slay my dragons, husband?”
